Language.
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Re: Language.
While we are allready on languages, is anyone among us capable of signing in (a) sign language?
"The problem with gender is that it prescribes how we should be rather than recognizing how we are. Imagine how much happier we would be, how much freer to be our true individual selves, if we didn't have the weight of gender expectations." - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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Re: Language.
My granddaughter was being taught very basic signing at nursery school. Apparently it helps to improve structure in early 'normal' conversation development as well as having obvious advantages for diversity inclusion. She insisted on teaching what she knew to the rest of us.
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Re: Language.
Not me, but there are some coffee-corners in certain companies where the staff is deaf. To order a coffee, you need to use sign-language. (The menu helpfully shows the signs to use)
- red assassin
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Re: Language.
I know a little basic BSL, which is occasionally useful. Turns out I don't find signs any easier to retain than any other vocabulary, unfortunately, so I'm rather limited in what I can say. I'm definitely in favour of it being taught young in schools.
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Re: Language.
This is the worst thing about learning any language: retention. I committed about 2 years in learning Japanese once, then something happened and I couldn't touch it for 6-8 months. It was extremely discouraging when I come back to it and realize how much I already forgot.red assassin wrote: ↑Thu, 18. Feb 21, 17:26Turns out I don't find signs any easier to retain than any other vocabulary, unfortunately.
Reading comprehension is hard.
Reading with prejudice makes comprehension harder.
Reading with prejudice makes comprehension harder.
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Re: Language.
At the risk of cross-posting, this made me laugh:-Chips wrote: ↑Thu, 18. Feb 21, 11:03Extra kudos if you know a few words that are easily mistaken / sound similar - nothing lightens the mood as saying something inappropriate in genuine accident. At least that's what my Greek speaking supervisor at uni told me when apparently I mis-pronounced a word so actually said "kiss" in a certain context with her sister
https://www.reddit.com/r/TikTokCringe/c ... ke_french/
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Re: Language.
It's said that Napoleon once triggered the accidental execution of hundreds of people by complaining about his cough (Ma sacree toux!) which was misheard by his subordinates as "Massacrez tous!" (Massacre them all!). I mean, those two phrases aren't really pronounced exactly the same in French (the "S" in "tous" is sounded for a start), and there's absolutely no historical record of anything like this happening, but it's a cool story.
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Re: Language.
Well... A friend of mine ordered a large Coke at a bar in London, but that didn't sound quite right... I suggested him to always order scotch.
Re: Language.
I thought my ex wife was considering a public act of infidelity many, many years ago. - We'd been helping out in my mum's fish & chip shop one Saturday evening, and a lad of 17 or 18 came in and asked for a bag of chips, open. Well Annushka (Russian) served him and then asked ' do you want a f**k*' with me stood just there, lower jaw somewhere near my navel. - She repeated it a second time, when he just flushed, glanced at me and considered how to answer (she was ridiculously attractive - I'd sure overachieved.) - Anyhow, on the third repetition she picked up a plastic fork and waved it at him. I remember shouting 'fork, she means fork' with a ridiculous helping of glee...
And I remember her fury on discovering one word wasn't pronounced how she'd expected (she'd been my interpreter in Russia.) - She asked in a shop for some 'Seesam' seeds, and what a potty mouth she had when I pointed out it was 'Sesame' (Sess-am-E for any ESL forum users who may not know the pronunciation.)
And I remember her fury on discovering one word wasn't pronounced how she'd expected (she'd been my interpreter in Russia.) - She asked in a shop for some 'Seesam' seeds, and what a potty mouth she had when I pointed out it was 'Sesame' (Sess-am-E for any ESL forum users who may not know the pronunciation.)
“Man, my poor head is battered,” Ed said.
“That explains its unusual shape,” Styanar said, grinning openly now. “Although it does little to illuminate just why your jowls are so flaccid or why you have quite so many chins.”
“I…” Had she just called him fat? “I am just a different species, that’s all.”
“Well nature sure does have a sense of humour then,” Styanar said. “Shall we go inside? It’d not be a good idea for me to be spotted by others.”
“That explains its unusual shape,” Styanar said, grinning openly now. “Although it does little to illuminate just why your jowls are so flaccid or why you have quite so many chins.”
“I…” Had she just called him fat? “I am just a different species, that’s all.”
“Well nature sure does have a sense of humour then,” Styanar said. “Shall we go inside? It’d not be a good idea for me to be spotted by others.”
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Re: Language.
Gavrushka, you never holidayed in the Lake District with her in the 80's did you? I only ask because my one and only encounter with a Russian woman, was with one with a real potty mouth, very pretty, with her boyfriend, getting very angry in Glenridding. He seemed to be exasperated and was a little potty mouthed too!
Pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space
'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth
'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth
Re: Language.
Oh Lord, I hope not, because at the start of the 80s, she was busy being 4!greypanther wrote: ↑Fri, 19. Feb 21, 16:23Gavrushka, you never holidayed in the Lake District with her in the 80's did you? I only ask because my one and only encounter with a Russian woman, was with one with a real potty mouth, very pretty, with her boyfriend, getting very angry in Glenridding. He seemed to be exasperated and was a little potty mouthed too!
It'd be a very unusual sight to see any Russians/Eastern Europeans holidaying here in the 80s as the Warsaw Pact didn't dissolve until 91. - She was likely a spy or someone in the upper echelons in their 'some animals are more equal than others' society...
But, yeah, I have been known to have a bit of a potty mouth too...
“Man, my poor head is battered,” Ed said.
“That explains its unusual shape,” Styanar said, grinning openly now. “Although it does little to illuminate just why your jowls are so flaccid or why you have quite so many chins.”
“I…” Had she just called him fat? “I am just a different species, that’s all.”
“Well nature sure does have a sense of humour then,” Styanar said. “Shall we go inside? It’d not be a good idea for me to be spotted by others.”
“That explains its unusual shape,” Styanar said, grinning openly now. “Although it does little to illuminate just why your jowls are so flaccid or why you have quite so many chins.”
“I…” Had she just called him fat? “I am just a different species, that’s all.”
“Well nature sure does have a sense of humour then,” Styanar said. “Shall we go inside? It’d not be a good idea for me to be spotted by others.”
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Re: Language.
Only 4? I am surprised because I had always assumed you were about my age, maybe a bit older. Late 50's I thought! Therefore I asumed she would be a similar age...
As for her being Russian well, I have to admit I could not be at all certain, mostly assumptions on my part I guess. I went to school with a lad with an unpronounceable Polish name, who used to take great pleasure in teaching us Russian swear words. Polish ones too. ( I remember none of them of course... ) His father came to the UK after WW2, supposedly was in Colditz and helped to build a glider there. His dad was in his 60's (?) when my friend was born. Luckily, they had anglicised their name, so it was manageable.
My only defence is that I was only late teens, early twenties, so very naive.
Pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space
'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth
'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth
Re: Language.
We are similar in age. Don't judge me... LOL.
Yeah, it is very, very hard to distinguish between Eastern European languages, but there were a few (far too few) second and third generation Poles around in the 80s, and they did seem to hold their accent. The first doctor I remember back in the late 60s, early 70s, was 'Dr Cutts' who'd been a young man when he'd escaped Poland after Hitler invaded. Dr Cutts, what a name! And what a wonderful man. - He always looked forward to my mum's appointments because it meant he could have a cigarette.
Yeah, it is very, very hard to distinguish between Eastern European languages, but there were a few (far too few) second and third generation Poles around in the 80s, and they did seem to hold their accent. The first doctor I remember back in the late 60s, early 70s, was 'Dr Cutts' who'd been a young man when he'd escaped Poland after Hitler invaded. Dr Cutts, what a name! And what a wonderful man. - He always looked forward to my mum's appointments because it meant he could have a cigarette.
“Man, my poor head is battered,” Ed said.
“That explains its unusual shape,” Styanar said, grinning openly now. “Although it does little to illuminate just why your jowls are so flaccid or why you have quite so many chins.”
“I…” Had she just called him fat? “I am just a different species, that’s all.”
“Well nature sure does have a sense of humour then,” Styanar said. “Shall we go inside? It’d not be a good idea for me to be spotted by others.”
“That explains its unusual shape,” Styanar said, grinning openly now. “Although it does little to illuminate just why your jowls are so flaccid or why you have quite so many chins.”
“I…” Had she just called him fat? “I am just a different species, that’s all.”
“Well nature sure does have a sense of humour then,” Styanar said. “Shall we go inside? It’d not be a good idea for me to be spotted by others.”
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Re: Language.
Sorry, did not intend to sound judgemental.
My school friend of Polish descent, had no Polish accent as he was born in Blackpool. I think his father had already died, but Andrew was very proud of him, told tales of him building the glider in a loft space in Colditz. He was proud of his dad being a troublemaker...
Edit: I just looked up the glider story, out of curosity and find it was British officers who built it. How odd, if I knew where he was, I would ask Andy about this! Of course, there was no internet back in the 80's...
Pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space
'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth
'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth
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Re: Language.
I'm sure the Polish Colditz POW contingent and their resources will have been discretely organised in some way to help with decoying, storage, toolmaking and supplies used for the glider and launch construction, even if they didn't know details of the British project at the time.
A dog has a master; a cat has domestic staff.
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Re: Language.
That was part of my problem that my quick research brought up Alan. It seemed to suggest that they started building the glider in 1943, but also say that the Polish officers were removed from Colditz in 1943. The article also suggested that the Germans knew about the project, but let it continue, because it kept the inmates out of trouble. Doesn't matter now anyway, I have no way of questioning my school friend.Alan Phipps wrote: ↑Sat, 20. Feb 21, 21:59I'm sure the Polish Colditz POW contingent and their resources will have been discretely organised in some way to help with decoying, storage, toolmaking and supplies used for the glider and launch construction, even if they didn't know details of the British project at the time.
Pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space
'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth
'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth